DIY: French doors

[Allattar]

Quick couple of questions.

I have french doors where one pair of the doors has a plastic centre strip that covers the join between the two when closed.

What on earth is it called?

I want to change the locks over from euro locks to something a bit sturdier, and that plastic strip on the slave door needs to be removed. Its secured with four screws. Even removing them something else secures it and I have no idea what.

Right about this point I am wondering about dremelling a hole big enough to go through the strip to the locking screw.

 

[Tachyon]

Draught excluder I'm guessing and it's held in place with silicone as well as the screws.

Can't really picture the locking screw bit and the dremel part though so not sure what you're doing.

 

[Allattar]

Ah Ill have to find some way of getting too that silicone then.
The screw is the one that holds the lock in place. On upvc doors look on the edge of the door below the latch youll see it.

 

[anything I don't mind]

Those sliding doors are a big security risk. Even with a strong lock you can usually just pick the door off its slider and unhook it from its lock. In SA where we have high security on houses, people use those slider metal gates. One is called slam lock because you don't have to lock it, you just slide it closed and it auto locks.

http://www.securitydoor.co.za/

 

[Allattar]

They aren't sliding doors. They are still hinged double french doors. However the euro locks that are in most upvc doors apparently are the biggest security risk at the moment.

Whilst I know putting tougher locks on wont stop the determined criminal, its all about making things take more effort.

 

[ci_newman]

French doors are not sliding, they are two regular doors side by side to offer a bigger width when both are open.

 

[anything I don't mind]

Oh ok. I thought that french doors was an english name for sliding doors. all these years...